Chinese New Year is coming soon! We're getting ready by learning all about China and traditions there.

We're also studying extreme weather right now. Currently we're focusing on earthquakes and volcanoes.

To keep life organized by weekly unit studies we've combined all of these activities into one post: Chinese New Year & Extreme Weather Unit: Earthquakes and Volcanoes.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Here's what's on our shelves this week!

Language

Chinese Zodiac Nomenclature Cards

The kiddos will match up cards correctly, and then place animals on proper cards.

Source: I created the cards used for this activity as part of my China Printable Pack II. This is a subscriber's only freebie. See directions at the bottom of this post on how to access your free copy.

First Vowel Sound Identification

I've noticed that Bulldozer and Princess are having a hard time identifying vowel sounds in words. It doesn't matter if the sounds are long sounds or short sounds. I'm hoping this activity will help them improve those skills.

Source: I created the cards used for this activity as part of my China Printable Pack II. This is a subscriber's only freebie. See directions at the bottom of this post on how to access your free copy.

Chinese Zodiac Animal Spelling Words

We had a lot of fun with the intro to this activity today. Each kiddo was given a plastic bag with a dragon head and tail to color. Once complete, we pulled out all the letter cards in the Set 1 envelope. The kiddos took turns making Dancing Dragons out of the letters of each word.

Dinomite's Dancing Dragon

Princess' Dancing Dragon

Bulldozer's Dancing Dragon

At the end of the week, we'll replace the letter cards with a real body for our dragons.

Source: I created the spelling list for this activity. For your free copy, click HERE. The free dragon head and tail printable can be found at Craft Jr.

Mathematics

Odd & Even Numbers

It's been a while since we reviewed odd and even numbers. To my surprise, everyone remembered! Hurray! The cards can also be used for counting by 2's etc.

Source: I created the cards used for this activity as part of my China Printable Pack. This is a subscriber's only freebie. See directions at the bottom of this post on how to access your free copy.

Measuring Dragons

I wanted to practice measuring one more time before our unit is complete. I still can't believe how quickly the kids caught on to this and loved it. Once again this activity is a hit. The kiddos measure the dragons and match them up to their inch number cards.

Source: I created the cards used for this activity as part of my China Printable Pack. This is a subscriber's only freebie. See directions at the bottom of this post on how to access your free copy.

Greater Than/Less Than

Here's another review activity on our shelves this week. The kiddos weren't as great at remembering how to do this one, but by the end of today they finally remembered. Bulldozer surprised me, in that he caught on the quickest.

Source: I created the cards used for this activity as part of my China Printable Pack. This is a subscriber's only freebie. See directions at the bottom of this post on how to access your free copy.

Adding with Pandas

I couldn't resist using Pandas for our addition practice this week! As I suspected, it's been a big hit!

Source: I created the cards used for this activity as part of my China Printable Pack. This is a subscriber's only freebie. See directions at the bottom of this post on how to access your free copy.

Geography/Culture

Asia, the Continent

The kiddos will cover the map of Asia with play dough, refreshing their memory of it's shape. I chose a physical map so they could notice the topography of the Continent and identify specific countries. The color yellow is used because it's the Montessori color associated with Asia.

It's one thing to learn about the rich history of China, but another to realize what China is like today. I wanted to make sure the kiddos understood the difference.

The kiddos will put the cities or towns in order from biggest to smallest. If they so desire, they can find and mark them on the map. (I had to write two of the cities/towns in that weren't already shown on the map.)

Science

Animals of Asia

Here is our newest set of animal cards, made specifically for Dinomite. I would not be surprised if he becomes some type of animal scientist when he grows up. He knows SO MUCH already. The kiddos will look at all the different animals on the cards, sorting them as they wish. A special thanks to my husband for researching all of the animals and making the cards!

As I was planning our study of earthquakes and volcanoes, I realized we couldn't learn about them without understanding a lot about the layers of the Earth. This was our intro activity. I was so surprised the kiddos understood it all so well.

After learning about the layers of the Earth, we focused on the layers of the Mantle, to better understand how earthquakes and volcano eruptions happen. I found this really cool visual activity that I couldn't resist using. The kiddos loved it and completely understood the difficult concepts. I was super excited!

The kiddos create the different ways the plates shift using the Oreo cookies, matching the diagrams provided. They loved taking it one step further, having the plates collide, etc. to create earthquakes.

It's one thing to understand what happens below the surface to cause an earthquake. It's another to understand how it affects the surface and what happens. The kiddos poured rice on the green paper, covering a metal cake pan. They liked to say that the rice grains were people. Then, they took the spoon and banged it against the side of the pan, (the mantle movement & collision under the surface). It was quite entertaining to watch what happened to the rice. We then tried the same thing with lentils.

To tie the activity into the history of China, I included picture cards of the earthquake that hit in 2008 causing tens of thousands of deaths, destruction and more.

I loved these cards when I saw them. I was so thankful I didn't have to make my own. (That wouldn't have gone well.) The kiddos will match up pictures with words and hopefully learn all the parts by the end of the week. I told them if they all could do that, we'd make a volcano and have it erupt.

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Bulldozer is absolutely obsessed with extreme weather, especially hurricanes and tornadoes. It's the visual effect that appeals to him most. Our Extreme Weather Unit: Hurricans and Tornadoes is designed specifically for him and others who enjoy the intense study. There are several activity ideas and fabulous free printables for all to enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links.

Here's what's on our shelves!

Language

Digging Through the Rubble Spelling Sensory Bin

This is one of my most favorite sensory bins of all time. All three kiddos love it too!

The kiddos dig through the "rubble" looking for letters to create their spelling words. It's harder than it seems, but all the kiddos have been successful with it so far.

Source: I created the spelling list printable. For your free copy, click HERE.

Tornado Types

I'm super excited about these cards. The kiddos use them as nomenclature cards, learning about the different types of tornadoes. These cards do not include double tornadoes etc.

Source: I created this printable. For your free copy, click HERE. Information for this activity came from the book:Inside Tornadoes.

Mathematics

Tornado Addition

This is our classic addition tray, with the added fun of mini tornadoes made out of white pipe cleaners to count with. It always amazes me how just one little added twist of fun makes all the difference.

Source: I created this printable as part of my Hurricane & Tornado Math Printable Pack. For your free copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Source: I created this printable as part of my Hurricane & Tornado Math Printable Pack. For your free copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Purchasing Items for an Emergency Kit

Each week we learn about extreme weather conditions, we also review the safety and emergency protocols for each weather event.

This activity is helping the kiddos remember exactly what needs to be in their emergency kits. Obviously there will be other items too, but this is a good start for them. It's a great way to practice their coin counting.

Source: I created this printable as part of my Hurricane & Tornado Math Printable Pack. For your free copy, click on the link at the bottom of this post.

Science

Scale of Tornado Intensity

This activity has been very popular on the shelves. The kiddos match up Intensity Scale ratings with pictures and descriptions.

Source: I created this printable. For your free copy, click HERE. Information for this activity came from the book Inside Tornadoes.

Hurricane Paths

We don't have official Montessori Knobless Cylinders, but Bulldozer does have a large collection of his own in his room. They're not perfect, but they definitely work. In this activity the kiddos create the paths of the hurricanes, as shown on the cards, using the cylinders. Bulldozer loves to do this more than anyone.

Source: I came up with the idea for this activity. Hurricane Path Cards were found on the Internet.

Culture & Geography

Hurricane Katrina in Pictures

As we introduced the unit we talked in depth about Hurricane Katrina, sequencing picture cards to tell the story. The kiddos now look at the pictures, putting them in any order they'd like to tell the story of the hurricane.

The kiddos will use markers to mark the top 10 Tornado States on the map. The map is colored using Montessori colors. I have colored the chart using corresponding Montessori colors so states are a bit easier to find.

Source: The free printable map for this activity can be found at Free Printable Maps. I created the Top 10 Tornado State Chart. For your free copy, click HERE.

Information for this activity came from the book:Inside Tornadoes. This map reflects the total amount of tornadoes ever in each state, and is not to be confused with Top Killer Tornado State Rankings or Top Yearly Tornado State Rankings, also provided in the book.

Visual Arts

Torn Paper Tornadoes

The kiddos will tear up old magazine pages and glue them on the white paper in the shape of a tornado. I love how every one looks so different!

Practical Life & Sensorial

Hurricane Creations

I thought it might be fun for the kiddos to create space views of a hurricane using laminated blue paper for water, green paper for land, and whipped topping to create the clouds of the hurricane. Once they've created their hurricane using the whipped topping, they can use fingers to help it move, become bigger or smaller.

This proved to be a great fine motor activity! Shaking and spraying the whipped topping was challenging, but so worth it.

Source: I came up with the idea for this activity.

Replacing Batteries in a Flashlight

The kiddos will practice putting batteries in a flashlight correctly. They will turn it on to check their work.

Locking the Doors & Windows

Originally I had wanted to have a hammer and nails activity on the shelves. It would be fun to practice boarding up windows before a hurricane comes. However, I couldn't find a piece of wood the size I needed, so I reverted back to this activity instead. There were definitely no complaints.

The kiddos will practicing locking doors as they are evacuating their homes before a hurricane comes using the Melissa & Doug Latches Board.

United States of America Puzzle

Our unit focused primarily on extreme weather activity in the United States this week. The kiddos have loved reviewing all of their states with this puzzle.

Tornado in a Jar

Have you ever made a tornado in a jar? All you need is a jar, a few drops of dish detergent and water. It's provided so much entertainment, and again is great motor work!